In addition to more elaborate weightlifting equipment comprising or including a plurality of levers, pulleys, weight plates, weights tethered to an elongated handle and various types of mechanical linkages, the traditional weightlifting apparatus has been and still remains a single, straight elongated bar fitted with collars near the ends thereof to retain weighted plates on the bar. A typical free-weight exercising barbell may consist of a pair of substantially equal weights spaced apart near the opposite ends of the bar. The center of gravity of a typical barbell is generally located somewhere along the axis of the gripping bar, usually at the midpoint. The standard straight bar has been widely used for many years for a variety of weightlifting exercises, including, by way of example, military and bench presses, curls, upright and bent-over rows and forearm/wrist curls.
During a typical set for a given exercise, an individual performs a series of repetitions by lifting the barbell between lower and upper positions so that targeted muscles will be stressed. The movement of the gripping hands, depending on the exercise, will generally be along a path having a large vertical component. Some exercises, upright rows for example, require substantially straight up and down motion of the barbell. Other exercises, such as curls, require the hands to move along a somewhat arcuate path having both horizontal and vertical components.
One common exercise done with a free-weight barbell is the forearm curl during which an exerciser may sit with the forearms braced on the exercisers upper front thighs with the wrist suspended over the exerciser's knees, the exerciser may use either a supine or pronated grip when grasping the barbell. Upon executing the curl, the exerciser's gripping hands may move along an arcuate path around the wrist in order to stress the forearms. During one forearm curl repetition, the upper arms will preferably be kept generally aligned with the exerciser's upper thighs. In the lowered position, the wrists are substantially at a 45 degree angle. To raise the barbell from the lowered position, the exerciser flexes at his wrist upwards, while the upper arms generally remain braced on the exerciser's thigh.
Another common device used to target the forearms and wrist flexors consist of an elongated bar wherein the weight is attached to a rope. The exerciser rolls the weight up using a twisting motion in order to stress the forearm muscles and wrist flexors.
Although standard barbells are useful for exercising targeted muscle groups, the standard barbell exhibits a number of shortcomings. For example, because the weight lies on the same plane as the gripping hands tension is greatly reduced at or about three quarters into the upward motion of the forearm curl. In order to better stress the muscles of the forearms and wrist a weight that is placed on an angled plane that is opposed to the gripping hands will maintain continuous tension through the full range of motion and promote exercise efficiency. Another disadvantage of standard barbells is that they do not allow the exerciser to change the angle of the gripping hands in order to stress the muscles from different angles.
Although the weight tethered to an elongated handle is useful for exercising the targeted muscles it exhibits a number of short comings. For example the twisting motion used to roll up the tethered weight limits the range of motion and applies undue stress on the wrist when used with a supine grip.